


Scared to be Lonely

by Enigma_Griffin



Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kinda, M/M, Minor Character Death, OOC Black Hat, Out of Character, flug has a sister, flug has alot of emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 20:24:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11364966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigma_Griffin/pseuds/Enigma_Griffin
Summary: Dr. Flug receives some bad news and has to leave Black Hat Manor to attend to it. When he gets back, he realizes something that Black Hat has been hiding from him for a very long time.





	Scared to be Lonely

Flug got the news too late, so late that he almost missed the funeral. It was a rush to gather permission to leave for a few days, and to file the flight plans to get him there, but he made it the day of. 

It was his own sister’s funeral. 

Even as he stood by her casket he didn't feel what he thought loss would would feel like. For some reason he couldn’t. 

But of course, funerals are tricky when no one knew you are there. He was thankful the invisibility ray had worked. As he gazed around at the mourners there came a quiet realization that he could only recognize a handful of them. And all of them were older than he remembered.

His sister had lived a good life, a long life. As he strapped himself back into the plane he dared pull off a glove and looked at his hand. There was no age marks, no liver spots or wrinkles that he had noticed in his sister’s skin. Plenty of scars, but no wrinkles. 

He supposed that was what you got for working with a eldritch demon.

He shook his head, trying to rid the thought from his mind and strapped on a pair of flight gloves. Flug figured if he didn't look at the problem, it would go away.

Unfortunately the first wave of agony didn't hit until he was at altitude and a third of the way there. He nearly crashed the plane, the pain was so sharp. 

_ It was his sister. _

_ She’s gone.  _

_ She’s really gone. _

Desperately clinging to a breath, Flug clamored for the controls again. Flying a plane wasn’t the same as driving a car, and you couldn't just pull over whenever you needed.

I mean, you could, but paying for the damages to a cornfield could be costly.

He grabbed at his chest, the cockpit seemed to be closing in on him.

Everything was spiraling, the sun seemed too bright and too loud.

Flug was jolted out of his state when he realized that the loud noise wasn't just in his head.

It was the low-altitude alert.

The spiraling wasn't just in his head.

He grabbed the controls, flicking a couple switches to get one of the alarms off. Suddenly he was back in flight school simulator. The emergency maneuvers course. Paranoid as he was, he never actually believed he would need to use that training.

The ground still was fast approaching. Flug pulled up with the last of his strength desperately trying to steady out the plane. As it finally leveled out flug let out his breath, trying to remember how to breathe again.

_ Next thing. _

It was what his mother used to tell him. Whenever things went wrong, do the next thing.

_ Do the next thing. _

He breathed in the familiar scent of the paper bag and watched the cloud fly past as he finally reached altitude. It would be smooth sailing as far as the plane was concerned.

Flug could only pray that the shock of almost dying countered his sorrow long enough to finally land the plane.

\----

As the car pulled up to Black Hat Manor and Flug paid and thanked the driver he felt the weight settle back down on him. He struggled with the fingerprint scanner but still the wrought iron gates managed to open. 

The front double doors gently creaked open, a tall dark figure stood in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back.

Flug approached silently, uncertain to what his boss was doing there.

“Put away your luggage and meet me in my office.” He ordered, before turning on his heel and clicking off inside.

Flug sighed. He couldn’t catch a break. 

As he entered the familiar, yet imposing abode he could hear crass laughter and the blaring noise of a television being played too loud.

He walked passed the living room to see Dementia and 5.0.5 racing each other in a video game.

“Hey-a Fluggy!” Dementia shouted over the din, “Where ya been?”

He hadn’t told the others about the trip. It all went by too fast to tell them.

“Uh, nowhere.” 

Not a good answer, but Dementia shrugged and went back to the brightly lit screen. Flug wavered by the entryway, watching the two of them playing together. Suddenly Black Hat’s order surfaced in his mind and he went to throw his stuff in his room and maybe change his paper bag before seeing him.

This one still had tear stains inside.

\---

Flug quietly opened up one of the massive doors leading to Black Hat’s study. After finding him inside, he entered in the rest of the way and stood before his desk.

“You uh, you wanted to see me sir?”

Black Hat coughed.

“I heard about the plane incident.”

_ How did he- Nevermind. _

“Yes, I- I think I ok now,” Flug responded finding a sudden interest in his shoes. 

He heard the scraping of the chair across the floor and the sharp tap of Black Hat walking toward him.

Flug instinctively took a step back and tried to stare into the demon’s soul, to find some meaning in this, but Black Hat refused to meet his eyes, continuing forward toward an embrace.

Flug was too tired to question why, as he hugged Black Hat back.

Something was different now, the sharpened claws that built to tear and rip were light and gentle, like a set of scissors that haven’t opened. He could feel them on his back as he clutched the eldritch demon, but the feeling was somehow comforting. 

Flug didn't want to go back to his empty room. He didn't want to go back to his empty lab. He especially didn't want to go back into the living room where the presence of the other two only made him feel empty. 

Like he was missing something.

He realized how long he had been holding on to Black Hat

“I’m sorry.” He said sheepishly, attempting to pull back. Black Hat let his arms relax but didn't let go, much to the scientist surprise.

Black Hat looked at him gently, a question barely asked but there just the same.

“I didn’t think that-” Flug started, pulling his hand up to try and wipe some of the dampness out from behind his paper bag. “I’d miss her this much.”

Black Hat didn't say anything. He couldn’t. The only person he could lose was standing in front of him.

Not that he could let Flug know that, of course.

He could only let the scientist pull him closer. Only offer his shoulder to cry on.

“She was-,” He started, gasping for air again, “She was so frail, so old, so-” Flug froze, realizing something that he noticed on his flight.

“Sir?” He pulled back his goggles creasing together, “Why haven’t I aged?”

Black Hat stopped, running his eyes up and down the scientist. He looked the same as when they had first met. He had asked that question before, but Black Hat had always brushed off the question, yelling at him to get back to work or mincing words in a loose makeshift answer that made no sense when actually thought about.

Black Hat released his arms, stepping back and takings a few steps away from Flug and toward the window, not daring to look his scientist in the eyes.

“You can’t.”

“What does that mean.”

Black Hat glanced up at Flug. His eyes were narrowed and focused. There was no talking himself out of this one. He gazed out the window and started.

“When you signed the contract you agreed to a certain type of immortality. You can die, but you cannot age not until one of us decides to terminate the contract then you will resume your regular human lifespan.”

Black Hat heard the scientist collapse on a chair. He still couldn’t look at him

Flug had suspected this for a while, but it was a different matter entirely when his suspicions were confirmed. 

It shocked him how much sense it made. It was difficult to compare when he was in the lab but on the few errands he had run, he had noticed people that seemed to age years in a matter of days. Days did seem to bleed together when he was working on a project. 

“So if i leave,” He finally found words. “If I void the contract, I’ll just-”

“Go back to a normal aging system.” Black hat interrupted as he scanned the horizon he waved a hand up, “This is simply like hitting a pause button on your lifespan.”

Flug looked over at Black Hat. Hot rage began boiling inside, that demon had the audacity to steal him from humanity. To hide this from him. And he didn't even have the courage to look him in the eyes. Flug stood, his legs shaky but stable.

“So what’s stopping me from going out the door?” He asked quietly 

Black Hat didn't respond. 

“What’s stopping me?” Flug demanded taking a step toward him. The coward still couldn’t take him seriously.

Black Hat couldn’t think of a reason. 

“You can’t leave.” Black Hat muttered. 

“I what?” The scientist asked incredulously. 

“You can’t leave.”

“I can’t leave?”

Flug scoffed, turning away from the figure at the window. If Black Hat wouldn't look at him, he wouldn't look at Black Hat. Flug stared at the door. He had thought about leaving before and he had told himself that before. 

_ He couldn't leave.  _

_ No.  _

_ Not this time.  _

“You have a very loose grasp on what I can and cannot do, Black Hat.”

Flug stated icily. Black Hat wheeled around. Flug was in the center of the room, staring daggers at him. 

He wanted to feel the same rage that he felt whenever anyone dared challenge him. But he couldn't. 

Because Flug was entirely right. 

“I could walk out the door now,” Flug continued, high on his own adrenaline. 

“Now tell me, black hat, why can’t I leave?”

Flug saw Black Hats mouth move but didn't hear anything. 

“What was that?”

“I don't want…”

“What?” Flug hissed, “you don't want me too?”

He turned around and walked a paced a step away, he flipped back, now was not the time for leaving things alone. He felt cruel. 

“I don't think you noticed, sir, but this is. Not. About. You!” Flug shouted

“Of course it's not.” He shook his head. Flug thought he heard his boss's voice crack. 

“Then what is it about?” Flug shouted “why won't you let me leave?”

Suddenly Flug felt two clawed hands tight on his shoulders. Black hat towered over him. 

“I. Can’t. Lose. You!” Black Hat roared a desperation clinging on the last two words.

Flugs eyes went wide.  

The air stilled and Black Hat felt the tear slide down his face before he could even stop it. He shrunk down to his regular size. 

He let go of the smaller man's shoulders and glared down at his hands, making sure his outburst hadn't drawn blood before roughly wiping his eye. 

Flug watched him walk to his desk in shock. 

“I lost too much before.” Black Hat finally said standing in front of his desk and gazing up at the painting above it. 

It was a painting of a crystal red sun setting over a jagged black mountain range. Small figures dotted the foreground. 

Flug walked toward him watching Black Hats movements and following his gaze up to a set of three creatures in the corner. There were too large ones that seemed to be playing with a smaller creature. 

“Was that your-” Flug stopped himself. Black Hats head dropped. Saying it made it seem too real. 

“It was a mistake.” Black Hats rough voice cracked. “I didn't realize-”

He cut himself off, cringing against the words. 

“They died.” Flug filled in the empty air a dark thought came to mind, “Black Hat, did you kill them?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he heard the scratching sound of nails digging into wood. Black hats claws had curled into the desk. Two drops hit the wood. 

He took a shaky breath and stood back up to his full height. He straightened his suit in an effort to compose himself. He finally looked at Flug. 

“I can't imagine what you are going through, Flug.” He started, “but I know when I lost them, I... needed someone.” He said through gritted teeth. He reached up and flug flinched. Black Hat pulled back his hand and set it down not daring or trusting himself to touch Flug. 

“Don't cut yourself off.” 

Flug looked down. Don't cut yourself off. That was all he knew. When he hurt, he ran. He ran back to his work. He ran back to his lab. He ran back to his room. When things got rough and he couldn't stand it, he couldn't-

He felt a finger under his chin gently raise his eyes 

“I am here.” 

“Please don't leave.”

Finally the dam broke. And everything came crashing down and he fell forward. Black Hat caught him, wrapping his arms around him. 

They stood like that for a while, Flug unloading, sobbing on his shoulder.  After Flug could feel his body again, Black Hat began to lead him to a chair, settling him down on the plush cushions. 

After making sure that he was settled, Black Hat stood back up.

“I'll be right back.” He stated turning toward the door. 

“Don’t-” Flug started meekly “please don't leave.”

Black Hat stopped in his tracks. He reached over and pressed the intercom button.

“5.0.5. Bring a glass of water and a sandwich to my room.” He glanced over at Flug, “leave it outside the door.”

Black Hat pulled away from the intercom and in a matter of seconds he was back with the scientist settling next to him on the chair, in an impromptu cuddle. 

The room was silent for a few moments as they both became accustomed to the situation. Black Hat took a breath, Flug looked up at him.

“I had told you when you began this job, one way or another I will watch the world be destroyed with you.” Black Hat reaching with a gloved hand over to gently hold the scientists hands in his. “I simply hope that we will be the ones destroying it.”

Flug looked up at him. 

There was so much he didn't know about the demon

“I hope so too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading a very long one shot! I hope you like it!


End file.
